40. A book from Amazon's 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list

[Jean]

What are you reading for this category? Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
Why did you choose this book? Because it has been sitting on my (physical) bookshelf for a long time and I feel like I should read a classic once or twice a year.

Full disclosure I just picked it up and I'm feeling like this one could be somewhat of an ordeal to read. It's 600+ pages and the subject matter is not exactly uplifting. Oh well, it must be a classic for a reason.

[Bec]

- What are you reading for this category?
The House at Pooh Corner

- Why did you choose this book?
I'm cheating with this one. I had a few books on my list of what I was going to read for this prompt, but I've spent heaps of time on ARC's in the last few months go not up to date with the challenge. I'm currently reading this book to my daughter (after Mum found it at her house and she is clearing out and it has my name on it so I got it!). I checked the list again and there it is. So yup, I'm going to count it.

Edited to add my daughter is finding the writing very odd...

[Jill]

What are you reading for this category?
The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
Why did you choose this book?
It has been on my TBR and I have been interested in reading it for a while now.

[Tracy]

I haven't updated in the threads here in a while, so it will be interesting to see what I initially planned on and what I actually ended up reading ( because I definitely did not in most cases follow my plan)

For this prompt my initial plan choices were : Breath, Eyes, Memory or Bel Canto, both of which have been on my TBR forever.

What I actually ended up reading: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Excellent decision. I LOVED THIS!!! I feel like I learned so much about Iran and the Islamic Revolution and I enjoyed hearing about it from the writers point of view as a young girl. I also loved that there was humor infused throughout a serious subject, and that the children had moments where they behaved like children and enjoyed parts of their childhood, even with the violence going on around them. I will be moving on to Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. I can't recommend these books enough!

Why did I choose it? Ummm because times a running out and I needed something a little shorter and a mental break ( and also a red cover for the read a thon)

Also did a re read of Where the Wild Things Are with the girls because who can ever get enough that book ?

[Samantha]

- What are you reading for this category? Where the Wild Things Are
- Why did you choose this book? I just didn't see anything else I really wanted to read on the list.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

The Secret History

I'd heard good things from reviewers, and had this on my tbr because it sounded like something I would like. It probably would have sat there forever given how long it is without the push to finally read it. I'm super glad I finally got around to it. 5 stars!

[Chrissy]

The Things They Carried, which I couldn’t really say I enjoyed. I appreciate the writing, so would give it 3.5 stars.

[Joan]

- What are you reading for this category? Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Why did you choose this book? I want to finish the series this year.

I deleted my other post. I started out reading Angela's Ashes and just couldn't get into it right now so I switched over to Harry. A picture of the whole series was depicted in 100 books to read in a lifetime on the Amazon list.

[Erika]

I think I might go with bridge to terabithia from the childrens list. I love that book and I know I have it at home

[Shelley]

I read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. It's literally the oldest book on my library wish list so I was really excited to finally read it.

This is the second Micheal Chabon book that I've read (I've also read The Yiddish Policemen's Union) and I'm just not a fan. They're sad and serious but have outlandish premises and I just can't get behind how it mixes that.

[Jody]

I'm reading Out of Africa and listening to The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals - whichever one I finish first is what I'll use for this prompt. I've had a terrible track rating this year of actually using what I say I'm going to. 😬 This list is one I'm currently working on ticking off (I think I'm at 59/100 at the moment), and the only self-imposed stipulation I had for this prompt was that it had to be one of the non-fiction books on the list that I've not yet read.

[Ashley]

I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I was reading this book for another group and it fit for this category.

[Matthias]

- What are you reading for this category?
I am reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Why did you choose this book?
I has been on my shelf for ages, and the first line is on a mug I own (with first lines), and since it fit the category, I thought it was time.

[Emma]

I picked Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. I wasn't blown away by a lot of the books on this list, but I like short stories, so I figured I would give this one a go.

[Sue]

I have just read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - great book

[Emma]

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. I picked a book I have wanted to read, and I also picked this because it was easily available on my Libby account.

[Angela]

What are you reading for this category?
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens (no 16 on the list)


Why did you choose this book?
I have wanted to read this for ages and this seemed like the perfect prompt.

[Sara]

- What are you reading for this category?
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
- Why did you choose this book?
This counts for both this category and for a read on my Pulitzer Prize challenge. Two birds, as they say.